Bittersweet Lies (Bittersweet-Series Book 1) Read online

  Why did I even let myself be talked into coming to this fucking party? Ever since my arrival, I’ve either been hit on or placed under cross-examination.

  Here, I’m surrounded by hot willing women, yet all I can think about is her.

  Her and her damn blonde hair and big brown doe eyes that always reflect a mixture of mock and lust when she looks at me.

  Her full lips, which she turns into a cute smile that I just can never resist.

  And her perfect curves, which seem to be specially made for my touch.

  Just the thought of how she looked this afternoon in her skimpy white bikini and moved around on me while putting sunscreen on, instantly makes me hard.

  I don’t even bother to hide my erection. The people at this party want to have fun and sex. Nobody cares that tomorrow morning we all have to attend the first classes of the new semester.

  The fact that, for my taste, spending time with her felt much too good presents a real problem.

  And here, all I wanted was to tease her a little, to see where she would draw the line and feel embarrassed.

  Who would have thought things would get so out of control?

  But here’s the really weird part, it’s not her body that attracts me the most, it’s her smile.

  Her SMILE!

  How corny am I? Fuck!

  The woman hasn’t even been here for a week and is already driving me completely bonkers.

  “Why don’t you just bang her?” Carter interrupts my theoretical dilemma.

  “What?”

  “You’re supposed to screw Brooke,” he repeats firmly, looking at me intently.

  Shit! He’s actually serious with that crap.

  “Have you completely lost it now?” I want to know.

  “Why? You’re into her, you can’t deny it.”

  “So what?”

  Even a blind man can see I find her hot. Why would I deny the obvious?

  He grabs a smoke from the pack I set on the table, lights it, and continues, “The little one is getting under your skin, but I already told you as much.”

  “Get to the point,” I growl.

  “Once you sleep with her, she’ll lose the appeal she currently has and becomes one of many. Plus, it should make you more bearable.”

  He’s right. Once I have slept with a woman, I lose all interest in her.

  Alexa was the exception. Her and her kooky ways kept me entertained and I’m only fucking Cindy because sex with her is uncomplicated.

  Was, I add in thought.

  Since meeting Brooke, she has mutated into a jealous fury that tries to act as if she is my girlfriend. Eventually, the situation has to change, that I know.

  “Perhaps,” I answer thoughtfully.

  I planned to get her into bed anyway, so what’s stopping me? Could it be my conscience?

  Let me be honest, I’ve been keeping it under lock and key for quite some time. Each person is responsible for their life and choices. A guilty conscience does not benefit anyone.

  “So, what do you think?” I address Liam.

  One of the corners of his mouth twitches treacherously. “You know what I think,” he vaguely replies.

  “Dream on,” I counter smiling and decline the beer some chick is trying to hand me.

  Yes, I smoke cigarettes and weed to clear my head, but I don’t think much of alcohol. I like to have a fairly clear head when making decisions, which only works without high-proof drinks.

  “We’ll see,” he mumbles when the next group of permissive broads walks around the corner and sits next to us.

  It seems the evening just became more interesting …

  God, I’m so nervous.

  Today is the day I’ve waited a long time for. Now I alone am finally in charge of my life.

  Santa Clara College is one of the best private universities in the world and the perfect starting point for my career as a lawyer.

  Liam, who kindly offered to give me a ride, is running next to me. I’ve never even given it a thought as to how I will get to campus from now on.

  Although, after much cajoling, I was allowed to get a driver’s license, but having my own car was out of the question for my mother. In her eyes, that was the job for the staff.

  Even though the campus is not all that far away, it would still take about an hour to get there on foot. Time I would like to invest elsewhere.

  Taking the bus takes 20 minutes, but that’s not a long-term solution either.

  Public transportation is too unreliable and has never really been my thing; I like to be flexible, not bound to certain times.

  “I’m sorry, but from here, you have to make your own way. My lecture starts soon.” He smiles at me encouragingly.

  “Thank you. For everything. You’re a real lifesaver.”

  He gives me a brief hug. “No sweat. You know where to find me if you need anything,” he whispers in my ear.

  My lips turn into a little smile. “Yes, hanging with the nerds.”

  Something flashes in his eyes that I cannot read.

  “This nerd knows your class schedule and lives under the same roof with you,” he replies with a grin. “Right now I’d choose my words very carefully.”

  “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but your threats don’t scare me,” I say grinning as I turn on my heels so I make it to my lecture on time.

  “See you later,” I add, raising my hand in parting.

  “They should,” he mumbles.

  “Oh, and Brooke?” I stop and look at him over my shoulder.

  “Don’t worry about catching a ride. I’ll try to give you rides as often as possible, not to mention Blake is here too. And we’ll look for a car for you.

  Have fun at your first lecture.” He doesn’t wait for a reply and disappears around the next corner.

  Sitting with Blake in such a small space, I don’t find wise, regardless of the fact that he has decided to act like a normal human being. Let’s see how long his resolution actually lasts.

  I had already signed up online for the classes I’m interested in so I could familiarize myself with the subjects prior to the start of the first semester. After all, I had plenty of time.

  Taking a deep breath, I open the door to the lecture hall and get my first glimpse.

  I would never have considered so many people would be present right now, but at least it makes it easier choosing a seat.

  Since the majority took up the rows in the rear and the nerds the ones up front, I opt for neutral middle.

  Once I’ve dug my stuff out of my bag, I glance around the hall as inconspicuously as possible.

  The students sitting in the back rows don’t seem particularly interested in the upcoming lecture.

  While the girls busily check their appearance in compacts and touch up their makeup, the guys just holler and gawk at their cleavage. The outfits they wear downright beg the guys to stare at their tits.

  It makes me wonder how they ended up in college, but that’s none of my business. I’m not here to enter into some meaningless friendships that won’t last anyway; I’m only here to do my own thing and get a whole lot closer to fulfilling my dream of becoming a lawyer.

  Once I remind myself of it, I look away disinterested and instead, gaze straight ahead at the mousy-types in the front row.

  Why do all nerds have to live up to their image and dress like that?

  I’m really tired of cliché crap, but then those people are kind of asking for it.

  Well, I guess at the moment I’m the one who is judgmental.

  Who is to say those people in the front row are actually nerds?

  Okay, their choice of clothes is hideous and their stuffy coiffed hairstyles are not exactly eye-catching, but those are only outward appearances. They reveal nothing about true character.

  I shake my head and sigh quietly.

  Instead of worrying about fellow students’ reasons, I should focus on my own business, I think bitterly as the professor enters and starts his l
ecture.

  Stay focused, only then will you get ahead in life.

  ***

  As my first lecture comes to a successful end, I head to the cafeteria to at least grab a bite before the next one.

  “And, is today also your first?”

  I raise my head and look curiously at the girl standing next to my table.

  “I guess so,” I reply, automatically returning her smile.

  “You want to sit down?” I offer.

  “Sure.” She slides onto the bench on the other side of the table and eyes me curiously.

  Her black hair comes down to her narrow shoulders and the slanted bangs frame her face perfectly.

  She has blue eyes that, for some reason, remind me of a trip we took to the sea, a small button nose and full lips.

  Her white shirt reveals a tanned shoulder and the denim shorts casual ride her slim hips.

  She might not look like much, yet I cannot help but sense a strong personality inside that delicate body.

  “I’m Heather. Nice to meet you.” She holds out a dainty hand to me. I grab it and am amazed at the firm handshake.

  “Brooke. Pleased to meet you.”

  “That’s a beautiful name. What brings you here, Brooke?”

  “You mean, besides my studies?” I ask amused, shoving a spoonful of the pasta casserole I bought a few minutes ago into my mouth, only to immediately grimace in disgust. No person with reasonably functioning taste buds can eat this stuff.

  “That bad?” She eyes my plate while twirling a strand of black hair around her finger.

  “I would offer you some,” I say guardedly, “but I’d rather spare you this slop.”

  With a sour look, I push my plate away and dare to sample my pudding. I mean, how can they mess up pudding?

  This glop may be half-edible, but it’s a far cry from Emilia’s homemade pudding.

  “I take it dessert also leaves something to be desired?” she concludes, smiling when she sees my expression.

  “The way it looks, I guess I’ll have to bring my own food if I don’t want to starve,” I reply and sigh.

  Heather supports her chin on both hands. “You would think you’d receive decent food for that price.

  I mean, our parents have to dish out plenty of money so we can study here.”

  “Today is Monday,” I mumble as if it would explain everything. “Perhaps the kitchen staff is just having a bad day.” I shrug.

  For a few seconds, we regard each other silently, before we burst out laughing.

  “That’ll be the day,” Heather expresses my thoughts and grins, exposing a gap between her incisors.

  On other people, it might look funny, but on her, it looks rather cute.

  “Yeah, you’re right. The food might taste crappy, but at least the coffee is really good.”

  She longingly eyes my latte macchiato, so I push my mug to her.

  “I’ll share with you, if you like,” I offer.

  Heather takes the blue drinking straw between her lips and mumbles a happy thanks.

  “So,” she starts after finishing half the coffee, “besides your studies, what else made you come here?”

  I frown as I give her question serious thought, but at the moment, I cannot think of another reason.

  “Actually, there is no other reason.

  I moved to San Francisco to study law so I can pass the bar and become a lawyer. Once I have my bachelor’s degree, I will apply at a renowned law school and finish my studies.

  The Santa Clara Law School has an excellent reputation and offers a comprehensive program. And for the time being, I can stay with family friends who live close by. My mother is something … special.”

  “And what does your father have to say?” Her gaze is open, insightful, unbiased. She does not feign interest; she actually genuinely cares about getting to know me.

  “I wouldn’t know. He left us about ten years ago without so much as a goodbye and I never heard from him again. He simply disappeared from my life.”

  Even after all this time, I still feel a sting when I speak those words out loud.

  Her gaze shows compassion but also getting darker. “What an asshole,” she hisses.

  Loudly.

  Snidely.

  Without worrying about what people in our vicinity might think about her.

  Shit.

  Yes, I know I said I’m not here to make friends, but I like the woman sitting across from me, who doesn’t give a damn about what other people think.

  She makes it really hard for me not to like her.

  “You don’t have to tell me,” I sigh. “Ever since then, my mother has been impossible. You have no idea how glad I am to be here and not living with her any longer.”

  She pulls a pack of chewing gum from her jeans pocket and holds it out to me – Hubba Bubba, strawberry flavored.

  “I literally inhaled these as a child,” I reply grinning, shoving one of the rectangular childhood memories into my mouth and gleefully bite into it.

  “Thanks, I needed that now.”

  “Believe me, I can sympathize with you,” she says seriously, as soon as she has also stuck a piece of gum in her mouth.

  “My family might be stinking ordinary, but over time, even that can get on your nerves.” She vigorously chews the red glob.

  “My parents are simply too … nice. Do you know what I mean?”

  “Yes, well, I guess so. It seems a healthy middle ground would be nice, for parents to be understanding, but not in a belligerent way. Be nice, but not in a crawl-up-your-ass way. One simply cannot have everything.”

  She nods approvingly. “I don’t know your mother, but I’m sure she’s disappointed in your father, not you.”

  Annoyed, I roll my eyes. “Please, not you too!”

  “Why would I side with your mother?” she asks, raising a dark brow.

  “Your dad took off, which makes you the only one around she can take her frustration out on.

  I’m not saying I condone her behavior, I’m not. She’s bitter, lonely, and dissatisfied with her life. I don’t actually have to know her to say it, her behavior speaks for itself.”

  “Ever thought of becoming a psychologist?” I want to know, pulling my phone out to check the time. My next lecture starts in eight minutes.

  Heather purses her lips. “You’re not the first person to ask me that.”

  “And? Have you?” I inquire again.

  “Why do you think I’m here?”

  My eyes widen and my brows shoot up. “Are you serious?”

  She looks at me skeptically. “Why? Is it so far-fetched that I would want to do exactly what I do best?”

  “No. I simply meant … well, usually other people decide what’s best for you and which profession you may enter into,” I explain, shrugging.

  “Have you already forgotten? My parents are super friendly. I could just as easily sit back and twiddle my thumbs and they would still support me.” She frowns.

  “And you? How come your mother supports your studies?”

  “Let’s put it this, my being here comes with conditions.”

  “Oh, that doesn’t sound so good.”

  “One becomes more cautious,” I explain, pressing my lips together. “I’d like to continue our conversation, but my lecture is about to start.”

  She grabs my phone that I placed on the table and with nimble fingers types something into it before she hands me the small device.

  “My number. Call me afterward. I’m going into town for the time being.”

  “You don’t have any more lectures today?” I ask surprised as I stand up.

  Heather grins sassily at me. “No. I have the rest of the day to myself. If you like, we can talk some more on the ride home.”

  “You have a car?”

  “Of course. Now go, before you’re late. I’ll take care of your tray.” She makes a dismissive gesture and pushes me toward the door.

  “Thanks, you’re the best. See you
later.” With these words, I leave the cafeteria in a good mood.

  The week flew by in no time.

  Heather offered to give me rides so I wouldn’t have to take the bus. We quickly realized we are on the same wavelength and share similar interests.

  By now, she’s already more of a girlfriend to me than any of the old ones ever were.

  Over the last few days, I have not seen much of Blake. Either he spontaneously changed his mind and decided to avoid me after all or his studies take up so much of his time he can’t even show up for dinner.

  I don’t like to admit it, but I rather miss his demeanor a bit.

  Just when I decide to clear thoughts of him from my mind and instead, focus on the upcoming lecture, the door swings noisily open and a unanimous, clearly feminine gasp ripples throughout the auditorium.

  Even Heather, who is sitting next to me, joins in, which I have to say makes me a little curious.

  I turn my head to glance at the door and immediately stiffen.

  What is he doing here?!

  He stands in the doorway with his backpack hanging from one shoulder, hands casually hooked into the pockets of his blue jeans.

  The black shirt he’s wearing hugs his torso and emphasizes the defined muscles that slumber beneath its fabric. Muscles I’ve already touched extensively.

  Large.

  Self-assured.

  Seeking.

  And damn sexy.

  Basically, Blake.

  When our gazes meet, that beautiful mouth turns into a contented smile, as if he was only looking for me.

  His body starts moving, lithely striding down the narrow passageway without breaking eye contact with me.

  He’s not seriously thinking …?

  Fuck, he is!

  This idiot is actually coming toward us and in one fluid motion, plops down into the free chair next to me.

  It is bad enough the entire room is watching us and whispering behind upheld hands, but as he approached me like a damn prince, I could not take my eyes off him for a second. And even though my inner voice screamed at me to look the other way.

  But that’s exactly what he wanted.

  He wanted me to give him my full attention and stare at him open-mouthed like all the other women in the room.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask quietly, trying to ignore the prying eyes.